Publius Claudius Pulcher , Roman politician belonging to a rich patrician family, was quite a character of his time. A spoiled posh boy who believed that the whole mountain is oregano. After a mediocre military career in Asia, where he instigated a revolt and was involved in a mutiny, he returned to Rome and began to be known for getting into all the puddles, as in the prosecution against Catilina and his subsequent acquittal via bribery. Realizing that of joining hunger with the desire to eat, he married Fulvia Bambalia, 20 years his junior. Everything was laughter and frivolity until in 62 B.C. Claudio Pulcro one of his graces got out of hand.
Bona Dea
During the Saturnalia, the mysteries of the Bona Dea took place in the praetor's house. , rituals of veneration to the goddess in which the noble women of Rome participated and to which the entrance was vetoed to all men. The prohibition was strict to such an extent that it was verified that in the surroundings of the house there was no male, animal or man, who could sully the celebration. Although aided by the Vestal Virgins, the rituals were led by the praetor's wife, at that time Pompeii , wife of Julius Caesar , praetor and Pontifex Maximus . Whether it was because of his rebellious character, morbidity or lasciviousness - it was even said that he was involved with Pompeii - Claudio Pulcro could not think of anything else but to dress and make up like a woman and sneak into the house. Unfortunately, for him and for Rome, he was discovered and that desecration was a social scandal. Claudius had committed a sacrilege and was tried for it. Cicero's acid plea did not have the desired effect, because thanks to his generous bribes he was acquitted. That scandal supposed the definitive distancing of him with the optimates, the aristocratic faction (patricians) to which Claudio belonged by family. Also Pompeii, as a hostess, suffered the consequences. Although all the matrons spoke in her favor and assured that she knew nothing of that "infiltration" and she swore that she was not involved with him, the rumors spread through Rome and Julius Caesar, even knowing that they were just that, rumors, decided to divorce of her because...
Caesar's wife must not only be pure, but also seem so
Claudio Pulcro, taking advantage of the rejection of his family, renounced the rank of patrician, had himself adopted by a plebeian family and changed his name to Clodius He sounded more plebeian. In this way, he could opt for the position of tribune of the plebs, to which he would not have been able to aspire being a patrician. In 59 BC, after Julius Caesar left for Gaul, he became tribune and, from day one, openly clashed with the optimates and instituted populist measures to win over the people. As if this were not enough, he took control of the streets of Rome through the control of the guild gangs, the collegia , which he supported and encouraged, unleashing all his hatred against his opponents, especially against Cicero (because of his plea against him after the desecration of Bona Dea ). The speaker's house was demolished, his property confiscated and he himself had to go into exile to save his life.
Cicero
That spiral of violence turned against him and ended his life, because Milón , another gangster encouraged by the rival faction, was the one who starred in the brawl on the Via Appia where Clodio was assassinated on January 18, 52 BC, in the purest Gangs of New York style. . The plebs, moved by the death of that man who had legislated in his favor in such an unorthodox way, cremated him in the Forum and Milo was accused of the death of the popular leader. During the trial, the late Clodius' thugs, now loyal to his wife Fulvia, resorted to all kinds of intimidation against judges and supporters of the accused, to the point that Cicero was afraid to speak up for him. In fact, his allegation (Pro Milone ) is one of the worst defenses in history. Milo was condemned and had to go into exile, and Fulvia swore revenge against Cicero... and got it.
Fulvia with the head of Cicero
Her time would come when Lepidus, Octavian and the impressionable Marco Antonio, her third husband, constituted the Second Triumvirate in 43 BC. and they drew up the list of outlaws and enemies of the country to be liquidated, in which Fulvia was in charge of including Marco Tulio Cicero. He was executed near his village of Formiae on December 7, 43 BC. by a centurion named Herennius. When the tribune Popilio Lenas arrived in Rome carrying Cicero's head and right hand, Antony ordered him to have both nailed to the Rostra (Forum tribune that served as a pulpit from which the magistrates and orators harangued the people) for greater public ridicule of the deceased. Cassius Dion recounts in his Roman History that Fulvia approached with her two children of hers to where the head of hers was, Cicero hated her, she pulled a hairpin out of her hair and pierced the speaker's tongue in an explicit gesture of cold revenge.